


The Darkness of the Light

by aelinsfox (orphan_account)



Category: Original Work
Genre: Abandoned Work - Unfinished and Discontinued, Additional Warnings In Author's Note, Asian Character(s), Bisexual Character of Color, Black Character(s), Character Death, Character(s) of Color, Elves, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Enemies to Lovers, F/F, F/M, Fantasy, Found Family, Friends to Enemies, Half-Elves, LGBTQ Character, M/M, Magic, Mixed race character(s), Multi, Non-binary character, Not Beta Read, Original Fiction, Original Universe, Royalty, Strong Female Characters, Trans Character, asian mmc, bi-racial fmc, but spelt magick, omnisexual character
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-24
Updated: 2021-02-24
Packaged: 2021-03-16 13:41:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,425
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29333229
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/aelinsfox
Summary: "My magick..." Atarah whispered in unparalleled wonder."Is some of the most powerful magick in all of the realms. You must learn how to control it," Aithlin replied. "I will assist you, Atarah, as you've done for me for many years, but we can not do it here."* * *In which the sole Heir of the Upperworld is forbidden to use her magick that was given to her at birth by an unknown source. When she loses control of her powers, she must track down the source of her power with the help of unexpected allies and go against unforeseen enemies.
Relationships: Original Character(s)/Original Character(s)





	The Darkness of the Light

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone! Everything in 'The Darkness of Light' is my own. Please, DO NOT copy to another site. Thank you, I hope you enjoy reading!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The beginning of everything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger Warnings for this chapter include: descriptions of hysterectomy [(the removal of the uterus) in this universe I'm going to be having it as the removal of all female reproductive organs], implied suicide, and violence

The darkness jumped towards her as the branches of white birch trees cut at her light brown skin, leaving streams of crimson down her slim body. Atarah Forsyth panted as her own magick yearned and reached for her. She jumped over roots and ducked under branches.

The shadows she attempted to make had gone rogue and she was alone, in Redridge Forest where no one inhabited the land around for miles to come. 

"Atarah!" A familiar and accented voice called to her from above. She knew she couldn't stop for the risk of being taken to the Shadeworld by her own doing but she looked up as she ran and a sound of relief flowed out of her burning lungs. Above her, Aithlin Aecyne, one of Atarah's few friends flew, his snow-white hair flew behind him and his dark skin shimmering in the faraway light of the Sun.

Suddenly, the ground and Atarah's shadows were below her and she was aside Aithlin in the air. His hand grasped hers and the pair flew higher. 

"What were you doing out here? So far away from anyone and anything, you could have been hurt," his eyes took in the red stains on her white nightgown, "More hurt." 

"That was my intention, Aithlin. I did not want to hurt anyone with- with my magick." 

"I can understand that Atarah, however, you injured _yourself_ in the process."

Atarah let out a heavy sigh that was mixed in with the frigid air around them. Aithlin's Elf ears twitched every few moments as the frigid air prickled against them.

"My father wants me to return to the castle, doesn't he?" The Air Elf nodded and so the Princess of the Upperworld sighed and soaked in her defeat. 

* * *

Whiteridge Castle--her home for the last eighteen years--came into view upon the horizon not long after the pair took off. Its white marble peaked above the small village at the foot of the hill which the building resided upon. The Upperworld was a quiet place, with little poverty and even less crime. Criminals never got farther than the lower wall of the Halfworld before they were apprehended and made an example of. 

The King of the Upperworld, King Richart Guiscard, is a nobleman descended from a long and pure line of Upperworlder royalty and nobility. The Queen of the Upperworld, Queen Aeschine Forsyth, was a Lady of the Nothingworld when she crossed the Halfworld border and traveled north and appeared before the former King's court, her father asking the king to grant his eldest son to his daughter. Not many know why the man did such a thing when it was well-known Nothingworlders were rarely welcomed by the Upperworld's royal family when they claim to be just and true to all people. 

Atarah is the spitting image of her mother, her skin several shades darker than her father's pale complexion, her dark brown eyes the color and shape of many Nothingworlder's. She had no knowledge of why she received her mother's surname upon birth but her father insisted, whether it be for the flow of the royal name or other reasons her father has yet to explain to her, Atarah does not know nor does she mind the reason, but she feels more comfortable with her mother's name.

"Princess Atarah!" A guard, Feliks, calls for her as she and Aithlin land on the courtyard that reaches before the castle gates. Whiteridge Castle's stone exterior felt rough under her sensitive and sore feet as she walked up the steps, her friend trailing behind her. Already, the princess could feel her blood clotting and scab over at her cuts she had received an hour prior, the healing magick in her veins having done its job already.

King Richart is sitting on his throne when his daughter walks into his finest throne room, his wife sitting next to him on her smaller throne. From the king's posture, the princess can tell he is furious. 

_Fuck_ , she thinks. _Fuck. Fuck. Fuck._

”Father,” she says and curtsies at the foot of the dais. 

His face crumples with displeasure. “What have I been telling you, Atarah? You can not leave the castle alone. Especially not to practice your magick.”

”But father-“

”But nothing!” He exclaims, slamming his hand on the armrest of his throne. Atarah and her mother both flinched back slightly. She could feel Aithlin’s concerned gaze on her but she continued looking at her father.

”You could have been hurt, making you barren. What would I do with a daughter who can not produce children? The Upperworld would be ruined,” he explains. Atarah mentally calls bullshit on it, she’s seen barren women before. Magick doesn’t do it. The men, the women’s fathers do.

They’ll cut until the organs are out of the body and wait for the woman to either bleed to death or for a healer to come and assist the maiden. Most women off themselves afterward, being unable to deal with the pain of never becoming mothers or wives, and those who don't live with their fathers for the rest of their lives, heartbroken and miserable.

"Magick is not dangerous if I know how to control it, father. You condemning me to my rooms forever will not change that. I do not know how to control it and I will never learn unless you allow me to be taught!"

"I forbid you to learn. From now until I am on my death bed, you are **forbidden** from using magick of any kind."

"Father-"

"Guards! Take the princess to her rooms," he commands and Atarah's heart sinks deep inside her. Salty tears begin to prick her dark brown orbs, and the throne room begins to grow hotter and hotter. Flames licked at the ends of her curls and she can distantly hear people shouting her name and telling her to calm down but she can not.

Atarah can not get past the pure and unhinged rage she feels towards her father, the rage and hurt she's felt for years finally flooding through the gates. Cool wind swarms her and then she's underwater. 

A gasp pulls itself out from her numb lips. Her eyes open and as she takes in her surroundings she sees guards, the king and queen, and Aithlin. Her friend has a concerned look on his face, her mother has a solemn expression upon hers, and the king, he appeared murderous. The guards all wore carefully blank expressions, having been trained by childhood to wear them, to not show emotion, not around the Royal Family of the Upperworld.

"Your rooms, _NOW_!" The king bellowed at her. Feliks and Aleksander both assisted her out of the puddle she was drowned in by her mother's water magick. "Control yourself," he hissed at her as she left him behind, Aithlin quietly tailing her back, as he always is.

* * *

"Tarah," Aithlin whispered from outside Atarah's window where she was reading her ancient magick book that she acquired several years ago. No one had ever taught her where her magick came from or how to control it and while Atarah always suspected it, she never dared search for it in fear of what she would find.

"Aith," she opened her window for him and he sat on one of her armchairs before the hearth. "Your magick, Atarah. I have to tell you about it." "You know what it is?" "I do not know much, but I know it is ancient and powerful."

"My magick..." Atarah whispered in unparalleled wonder.

"Is some of the most powerful magick in all of the realms. You must learn how to control it," Aithlin replied. "I will assist you, Atarah, as you've done for me for many years, but we can not do it here."

"Where can we do it?"

"We must go to the Nothingworld. That's the source of your magick, of all magick, in fact."

The girl's eyes went wide with mild terror. "The Nothingworld? Aithlin that is impossible. I'm only half-Nothingworlder and there is no way for me to have all this powerful and ancient Nothingworld magick when I was born here and my father is the King of the Upperworld."

The Elf sighed and wrapped his white hair in a bun upon his head. "I will elaborate everything, Atarah, but we must go first. Do you trust me?"

"Of course I trust you, Aith. You have been my dearest friend and advisor for years."

"Then trust me now, Princess Atarah of the Nothingworld. For you are our only hope."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! I hope you enjoy this story and the characters and everything else. 
> 
> Kudos and comments/feedback is very much appreciated and always welcome.


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